Institutions Beyond Quality: How Legislation and Execution Shape the Global Energy Transition

Institutions are widely acknowledged as critical to the energy transition, yet most studies rely on broad governance indicators and aggregate renewable energy shares. Here we introduce two new indices of renewable energy governance legislation and execution—based on 7,310 policy documents across 196 UNFCCC member states (1976–2024). Using annual installation data and a long-difference panel model covering 178 countries between 2000 and 2023, we show that credible legislation and rigorous execution are both necessary to accelerate renewable capacity expansion. Legislative frameworks establish long-term credibility, while execution policies generate operational momentum, though both may involve transitional frictions. Effects are strongest in the long run and differ systematically between developed and developing economies. These results demonstrate that national governance arrangements, when reinforced by international commitments such as the Paris Agreement, are decisive for scaling renewables and provide actionable guidance for strengthening both domestic and global governance of clean energy.